Cecilia Braekhus Back in the Fight in Monaco and More Female Fight News

 

By David A. Avila

Almost a year has passed since welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus performed on a cold December night that ended television network HBO’s last involvement with the world of prizefighting.

It took the Norwegian months to find a promotional and media partner and now Braekhus (35-0, 9 KOs) finally returns on Saturday Nov. 30. She defends the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF titles against Argentina’s Victoria Bustos (19-5, 0 KOs) in a 10 round fight at Casino de Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo. DAZN will stream the world title clash.

A couple of changes have been made.

Braekhus, 38, changed trainers and now works under the supervision of Abel Sanchez. Ironically, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin now trains with Johnathan Banks who formerly worked with the Norwegian champion. They’ve switched partners with Braekhus moving into Big Bear, California to prepare for this fight.

In the boxing world it’s widely known that Sanchez molded Golovkin from a boxer-puncher into a hunter-killer in the boxing ring. Will he do the same for Braekhus?

Over the many decades that I’ve known Sanchez, he’s preferred to end all fights by knockout, not decision.

“It’s the only way to assure you win the fight,” says Sanchez.

Braekhus, though equipped with ultra-athleticism, has never been a prizefighter known for delivering the knockout. The model-looking boxer known as the “First Lady” has always been satisfied with winning by decision.

That could change in this fight with Bustos.

Just by looking at Braekhus as she fights with a slight “gangster lean” one can tell she always packed power. Now Sanchez will be developing the killer instinct in the Norwegian queen of boxing.

Bustos, like most Argentine fighters, is battle tough and can boast never losing by knockout. That status could fall while facing a re-charged Braekhus intent on showing her new promotion company Matchroom Boxing that she’s worthy of a contract.

Braekhus has a severe height advantage as well as weight, speed and power over the Argentine fighter Bustos who normally campaigned at lightweight and super lightweight and won world titles in both weight classes.

It’s a battle which could reveal whether Braekhus can deal with the busier fighting style the lighter weight girls possess. It’s a fight that can also prepare her for a looming battle against Ireland’s Katie Taylor in the super lightweight division. It’s a mega fight that could be made now that both fight with Matchroom Boxing.

Braekhus can also move up in weight to the super welterweight class, but it makes more sense to drop down.

We shall see.

 

Hannah and Claressa

Fighting on the Mediterranean Sea will be Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (8-3, 1 KO) defending the IBO super welterweight title against Sweden’s Patricia Berghult (13-0, 3 KOs) at the Hotel Inter-Continental in Malta on Saturday Nov. 30.

Rankin now fights with Salita Promotions and sparred with Claressa Shields for this upcoming world title defense. It was a year ago that Shields defeated Rankin in a middleweight clash, now as super welterweights they’re mates.

“To be sparring with someone like her is the best thing possible for me. I always say that if you want to be the best, you need to be in there with the best so that has been great for me,” said Rankin to the HeraldScotland newspaper about sparring with new stablemate Shields. “I’m definitely a better fighter than I was before my world title fight.”

The super welterweight division has heated up especially with Shields looking to fight Ivana Habazin for the WBO and WBC super welterweight world titles in Jan. 10, at Atlantic City, New Jersey.

 

Canada and super welters

Canada’s Marie Eve Dicaire defended the IBF super welterweight title with a decisive win over Ogleidis Suarez with a near shutout win after 10 rounds in Quebec, Canada. In a companion super welterweight fight American contender Raquel Miller defeated Mexico’s Alma Ibarra to win the interim WBA version of the super welterweight title.

Both Dicaire and Miller remain undefeated and potential foes in a super welterweight showdown with the winner of Claressa Shields and Ivana Habazin.

The super welterweight division could be rife with competition even more so than the middleweights or super middleweight divisions. With Shields, Rankin, Dicaire, Miller and Hanna Gabriels all potential candidates for a free for all, the super welterweights could be blazing in 2020.

 

More Female Fight News

Argentina

Cintia Castillo (10-7) defeated Rosa Caraballo (1-6) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The featherweight fight took place at Cordoba.

Debora Dionicius (29-2) beat Virginia Carcamo (5-13-3) by decision after six rounds on Friday Nov. 22. The super bantamweight bout was held at Buenos Aires.

 

Australia

Tania Reid (2-2-1) was the winner by unanimous decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The Australian lightweight title fight was held at Tweed Heads. Also, Elli-Bliss Reynolds (1-0) won by technical knockout in the fourth round versus Ratsadaporn Khiaosopa (0-14) in a bantamweight fight.

Lorrinda Webb (2-1) defeated Sally Blunt (0-2) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The super bantamweight fight took place at Victoria.

Tayla Harris (7-0-1) won by technical knockout over Janay Harding (1-4-1) on Friday Nov. 22. The super welterweight match was held in Flemington.

 

Belgium

Djemilla Gontaruk (16-6-2) beat Angela Cannizzaro (6-6-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The super featherweight bout was held at Herstal.

 

Canada

Maria Eve Dicaire (17-0) defeated Ogleidis Suarez (29-4-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The IBF super welterweight title fight was held at Quebec. Also, Raquel Miller (10-0) defeated Alma Ibarra (7-1) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds for the interim WBA super welterweight title. Plus, welterweights Marie-Pier Houle (2-0-1) and Linda Dostalkova (2-0-1) fought to a draw after four rounds.

Carolyn Redmond (2-0) beat Gisela Luna (0-4) by decision after four rounds on Saturday Nov.23. The welterweight fight was held at Niagara Falls.

 

Czech Republic

On Saturday Nov. 30, minimum weights Fabiana Bytyqi (14-0-1) and Mexico’s Ana Arrazola (28-13-3) meet in a 10 round title fight at Kladno.

 

Finland

On Saturday Nov. 30, lightweights Eva Wahlstrom (22-1-2) and Consalata Musanga (8-4-3) meet in an eight round fight at Salo. Also, flyweights Satu Lehtonen (0-0) and Oksana Romanova (10-27-1) meet in an eight round match.

 

France

Romane Geffray (1-1-1) and Amel Anouar (1-0-1) fought to a draw after six rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The featherweight fight took place at Mayenne.

Gloria Gallardo (11-2-1) knocked out Laetitia Arzalier (15-2) in the sixth round on Friday Nov. 22. The flyweight fight was held at Cahors, Lot.

On Saturday Nov. 30, flyweights Marie Connan (1-0) and Justine Lallemand (7-1-1) meet in a six round fight at Vendome.

 

Italy

Veronica Tosi (1-0) knocked out Ana Nikolic (0-4-1) in the fourth round on Saturday Nov. 23. The featherweight match was held at Lombardia.

Giulia Grenci (4-1) defeated Elena Ghezzi (3-2) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Friday Nov. 22. The Italian lightweight title fight was held in Lombardia.

On Wed. Nov. 27, lightweights Amal Wahby (1-0) and Ksenija Medic (0-16-2) meet in a six round bout at Tuscany.

 

Japan

Airi Motoki (3-0-1) beat Mahiecka Pareno (2-3) by unanimous decision after four rounds on Friday Nov. 22. The super bantamweight fight was held in Tokyo.

Nanae Suzuki (10-3-1) defeated Kanyarat Yoohanngoh (7-4) by decision after eight rounds on Wednesday Nov. 20. The minimum weight fight took place at Tokyo.

Kanae Mahara (2-0) won by split decision over Haruko Kaneko (1-4) after four rounds on Tuesday Nov. 19. The light flyweight match was held in Tokyo.

 

Malta

On Wednesday Nov. 27, super welterweights Hannah Rankin (9-3) and Patricia Berghult (13-0) meet for the IBO super welterweight world title at St. Julians.

 

Mexico

Diana Fernandez (22-3) won by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Esmeralda Moreno (35-12-2) on Saturday Nov. 23. The super flyweight title fight took place at Ciudad Juarez.

 

Monaco

On Saturday Nov. 30, welterweights Cecilia Braekhus (35-0) and Argentina’s Victoria Bustos (19-5) meet for the welterweight world championship at Monte Carlo. Also, super featherweights Victoire Piteau (4-1) and Raphaelle Lachaume (0-1) meet in a six round match.

 

New Zealand

On Friday Nov. 29, heavyweights Alrie Meleisea (4-0-1) and Ashley Campbell (2-2) meet in a six round fight at North Shore.

 

Poland

On Saturday Nov. 30, light flyweights Wiktoria Sadej (0-1) and Dani Hodges (5-2) meet in a four round fight at Raszyn.

 

Russia

On Friday Nov. 29, super bantamweights Valeria Rodionova (0-0) and Darya Kutyrova (0-1) meet in a four round fight at Moscow.

 

South Korea

On Saturday Nov. 30, featherweights Eun Ah Choi (0-1) and Hyun Ah Goo (0-0) meet in a four round contest at Ulsan.

 

Spain

Katia Gutierrez (23-7) of Mexico defeated hometown girl Joana Pastrana (15-3) by split decision after 10 rounds on Saturday Nov.23. The minimum weight title fight took place in Madrid.

Elin Cederroos (7-0) knocked out Florence Muthoni (12-8-2) in the third round on Friday Nov. 22. The super middleweight fight took place in Valencia.

On Saturday Nov. 30, bantamweights Melania Sorroche (15-2-2) and Violeta Gonzalez (7-1) meet in a 10 round EBU title fight at Barcelona.

 

Tanzania

On Friday Nov. 29, bantamweights Feriche Mashauri (9-4) and Lulu Kayage (7-3-3) meet in six –three minute rounds at Dar Es-Salaam.

 

Ukraine

Seren Cetin (7-0) vanquished Alina Zaitseva (1-4) by unanimous decision after six rounds on Wed. Nov. 20. The bantamweight fight was held at Kharkiv.

United Kingdom

Denisa Cicoova (3-3) knocked out Sangeeta Birdi (1-1) in the second round on Saturday Nov. 23. The super lightweight fight was held in London.

Chelsey Arnell (0-0-1) and Vaida Masiokaite (1-7-3) fought to a draw after four rounds on Saturday Nov. 23. The lightweight match was held at Yorkshire.

On Saturday Nov. 30, featherweights Bec Connolly (3-6) and Rachel Ball (4-1) meet in a 10 round title fight at Swindon.

 

USA

Shayna Foppiano (2-0-1) was the winner by majority decision after four rounds against Raquel Santos (0-1) on Saturday Nov. 23. The lightweight bout took place in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

Anyela Lopez (1-0) knocked out Nicole Reinhart (1-1) in the first round on Friday Nov.22. The lightweight fight was held in Detroit, Michigan.

On Wednesday Nov. 27, featherweights Kim Wabik (2-0-2) and Jacqueline Boyle (0-0) meet in a four round fight at Windham, New Hampshire.